Process of making glue.



UNITED sTnTEs PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK G. PERKINS, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA; GERTRUDE S. PERKINS, EXECUTRIX0F SAID FRANK G. PERKINS, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

T0 PERKINS GLUE COMPANY, A

PROCESS FOR MAKING GLUE.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 2, 1908. Serial No. 460,738.

Patented Mari19,1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK G. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of South Bend, county of St. Joseph, and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processesfor Making Glue, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in processes for making glue and ismore especially directed to improvements and modifications in myinvention described in my copending application Serial No. 460,737. Asthere described my improvements relate to the manufacture'of glue fromcarbohydrates and more particularly those of the starchy variety.

As a base upon which to operate, I find that the carbohydrate secretedby the cassava plant has many advantages over other starches andaccordingly I preferably use this, although other substances may be usedto some advantage. In my copending application above cited, I havedescribed an improved method of making glue from this cassavacarbohydrate by first treating it with an acid and heat to decrease'itswater absorptive properties, etc. In the present ap-- plication Idisclose an improved and modified method for similarly lessening thewater absorptive properties of the corbohydrate which may be appliedwithout the use of heat and in such a manner that even less damage isdone to the carbohydrate and has the peculiar advantages that its actionmay be more accurately governed, is not so likely to causedextrinization or solution of the carbohydrate, and the residualchemicals if left in the glue base are of a character to coiiperate withinsteadof counteracting the of a solution of about 10 Weight of sodiumperoxid in the form of a solution of substantially 20 parts of water onepart of caustic by weliht. These proportions of reagents are ased uponthe weight of dry materials. This mixture is more or lesscontinuouslyagitated for about twelvehours, but without the-applicationof heat. The batch is then removed, and dried, and is made ready forshipment to the consumer in dry form, if it is not to be used at theplace where made. The glue base is preferably left in this conditionuntil just efore it is desired to use it when it is treated inaccordance with the second part of my process. The dry material obtainedfrom the first part of my process is mixed with preferably from two tothree parts by weight of Water, according to the economy and strength ofglue joint desired. A ll uid suspension is thus formed which is agitatedand treated with a reagent which will act to dissolve the material. Ibelieve the result is a colloidal solution. For this purpose Ipreferably use an aqueous solution of caustic soda or potash, using fromsix to ten per cent. of the weight of the dry powder, of dry causticsoda or equivalent of caustic potash. The alkali is best added in theform of a solution of from 33% to 50% strength.

When ordinary starch is heated with Water with a caustic alkali, ittends to absorb enormous quantities of Water and when two to three partsof water are used it forms into a stiff jelly which must be Very muchdiluted before it will be practically workable. I find, however, that byfirst treating it with sodium peroxid and caustic the starch can be madefluid with only a small quantity of water and the jelly effect will beobviated. The action of the peroxid and alkali in the first step of theprocess does not render the starch of the cassava flour soluble in waterbut merely decreases its Water absorptive properties. The dry powder,which results from the first step of my process is thereforesubstantially insolutities of water, as before. Furthermore,

from odor,

erly proportioned.

ble in Water, but is put into solution by the alkali of the secondstepof my process. These results, I believe, are largely due to theaction upon the granulose or cellulose or both in the carbohydrate, sochanging it that it will no longer absorb the large quaknt e peroxid ofsoda and alkaline solution are exceptionally well adapted for reducingthe water absorptive power of the carbohydrate since they do very littledamage to the material and their action is not so potent and detrimentalas that of the stronger acids and the process is much more reliable. Bytheir use, therefore, the binding strength of the material is notreduced and an exceptionally fine glue results which will not only beamply fluid for easy application and which may be kept for days or evenweeks after it has been made into a liquid state, but which isexceptionally strong and tenacious.

I believe that the action of the sodium peroxid upon the carbohydrate isone of oxidation or change of polymerization and hence other reagentsmay well be used in its stead. Also I find that it is not necessary totreat the carbohydrate with sodium peroxid and alkali at exactly thesame time but that good results will be obtained even if thecarbohydrate is treated with either one for a few minutes or even anhour before it is treated with the other. I believe, however, that toobtain the best results the carbohydrate should at least be treated.with one in the presence of the other,- or in such a manner that theother will be capable of carrying out its functions.

My improved glue is transparent and free and is very stable after mixingfor use. Although in the final glue the starch is dissolved in thecaustic, the starch is still in such a condition that it is insoluble inwater. Such a glue will produce joints which are unafi'ected bymoisture. These features make my glue especially advantageous forpurposes in which other glues are practically useless.

The action of the alkaline material on the starch decreases its waterabsorptive properties in the sense that it takes less water to renderthe resulting glue semi-fluid so that it can be applied by machinery.Thus by the action of the alkaline material onthe starch the viscosity,adhesiveness and cohesiveness of the resulting glue is propvAlthough Ihave described my improvements with great detail and have mentioned theparticular compounds which I prefer to use, I do not desire to belimited to such details and compounds, as many substitutes therefor maybe found,but

Having fully and clearly described my improvements, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The process ofmaking a glue base which consists in agitating cassavacarbohydrate with water, sodium peroxid, and caustic soda whereby thepolymerization of the carbohydrate is altered.

2. The process of making a glue base which consists in treating astarchy carbohydrate or its equivalent with water and an alkalinedigesting agent until the water absorptive properties of thecarbohydrate are decreased and the viscosity, adhesiveness and'cohesiveness resulting when the base is dissolvedto form glue areproperly proportioned for application of the glue by machinery...

3. In the manufacture of adhesives from carbohydrates, the treating ofcassava starch with water, thenadding peroxid of soda in the form of asolution, and also simultaneously treating it with a solution .ofcaustic and agitating the same.

4. In the manufacture of glue from carbohydrates, the treating ofcassava carbohydrate with water, containing from i% to I 1% by weight ofperoxid of soda in the form of a solution of substantially 20 parts ofwater to one part of peroxid by weight and also treating it with from to2 of acaustic alkali in the form of a solution of substantially 10 partsof water to one part of alkali by weight.

5; In the making of glue, the treating of starch with sodium peroxid andcaustic in' water, then neutralizing the caustic, then drying andfinally treating with a solution of caustic to form an alkaline glue.

6. In the process of making a wood glue, the combination of thefollowing steps, agitating a starchy carbohydrate or its equivalent withan alkaline digesting agent until its Water absorptive properties aredecreased to a point to properly proportion the viscosity, adhesivenessand cohesiveness resulting when the base is dissolved to form a glue asdistinguished from mucilages, sizes and pastes and then dissolving thecarbohydrate to form glue.

7. The process of making a wood glue which -ponsists in agitating astarchy carbohydrate or its equivalent with a solution of sodium peroxidand caustic soda to decrease the water absorptive properties of thecarbohydrate without rendering the carbohydrate materially soluble inwater to properly proportion the viscosity, adhesiveness andcohesiveness resulting when the carbohydrate is dissolved to formglueand dissolving the product thus produced with caustic soda or itsequivalent and about 3 parts of water or less to produce a glue forapplication.

8. The process of making a wood glue which consists in treating asuitable carbohydrate with an alkaline oxidizing material to properlyproportion the viscosity, adhesiveness and cohesiveness resulting whenthe carbohydrate is dissolved to form a glue, and then dissolving thecarbohydrate in about 3 parts of water or less to form a wood glue.

9. The process of making glue which consists in treating a suitableamylaceous material in two stages, in the first stage treating it withsodium peroxid or its equivalent and caustic soda or its alkaliequivalent, and in the second stage treating with caustic soda or itsequivalent to form an alkaline 1owood glue.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FRANK G. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

GORHAM CRosBY, EDWIN SEGER.

